Its almost been 2 weeks!!!

Its almost been 2 weeks since I boarded the plane for Uganda, I can't believe it, but I am really happy to be finally getting into the routine of things around here.  Routine has been an interesting concept here, back in America you have a routine that you don't even think about it, so it doesn't take any extra energy doing all the common ways of life, but here a brand new routine takes energy, energy that could be used on more complex things that you have to use for a normal new routine, but with that said I like that I am finally getting used to the routine here.  I get up in the morning, get ready, walk to school, have class, hang out, go home, help make dinner, eat, do the dishes, night time prayer, and go to sleep!

 

On Friday our group went on a retreat at a hotel like place.  It was nice to get away for the day, and we even got to go swimming!  In the morning we had some group talks that we really interesting, we talked about our expectations, what the program is about versus what it is not about, and lastly the tourist vs the pilgrim.  Some of the things that define the tourist are selfish, short time frame, escape, no change, unique, unrealistic reality, view from above, wealthy, pleasure seeking, and staged authenticity.  Now this my look like tourism is a bad thing, and I don't think that but it just opened my eyes to the reality of what a tourist truly is.  And now a pilgrim can be characterized as humility, communal, religious journey, goal in mind, willingness to learn, dependent, and no borders.  Sometimes its hard to make the switch from tourism to pilgrim but the reality is that I am not going to be a tourist for 4 months here, I want to learn the way of life and become part of the culture and that means becoming a pilgrim to this area. 

 

 

 

 

These are our family dogs, Azul and Son, they watch over the house at night and stay in their kennels during the day.  Its very common here to have watch dogs, however, they are so cute and precious.  Dogs here aren't really pets, but just a way of protection.  

 

 

This is Ashton, she is one of the program assistants here.  Coming to Uganda was really hard not knowing anyone especially when some others here came with at least someone they semi knew from college.  Ashton graduated from Olivet last year, so even though I didn't know her at all we know a lot of the same people and same places.  Its been comforting being able to shares stories from school with her and have some common ground.  

This is another program assistant, Innocent, she is really great!!! However, she is done with the program at the end of the month. 

This is another picture of Gloria, she is just too stinking cute, and I just love coming home to her everyday!  She found my stash of Target trail mix and loves and asks for a handful everyday! She also loves playing fruit ninja on my phone at night. 

This is another picture of my sister Topista! I really am excited to spend 4 months with her and I am excited to get to know her more and more.

Gertrude is becoming like my best friend here, and she is just so great to me!  In a week she leaves to go back to college, I am so sad to see her go, and I will be making trips to come visit her at school.  She lost her mom at childbirth and lost her dad at a young age, I can't even imagine going through that but yet she has just such a big heart and has so much love in this world!  I'm really have to have to opportunity to get to know her.  Everyday when I walk home from school I just am so excited to see her at the house.  This weekend she went to the market with me and I got a new skirt and she bartered for me, I think the women selling stuff take her more seriously than me so she got me a good deal.  Gertrude is also an amazing cook and is teaching me some good lessons. 

 

Family!!!

Well its almost been a week since I have started my journey this semester! This past week we have been doing a lot of orientation things, going over safety, and getting to know the area!  Yesterday we went on a scavenger hunt to get to know the local town of Mukono! I was so happy because I got a huge thing of ice cream for about a dollar fifty and I was able to have some pop! It was pretty hot outside walking around maybe around 85 degrees and I got my first sun burn of the semester.

I have been able to load some pictures. 

These 2 pictures are from our first day when we walked up monkey hill/prayer mountain, it was a beautiful site and overlooks the city. 

The is the picture of the cafeteria.

 A typical meal at the cafeteria consists of rice and beans for all lunches and dinners.  Breakfast is a bread thing and tea.  I am fortunate enough to eat dinner with my family so I get a lot of variety and that's been really nice.  So far we have had pork and beef for meats and that has been amazing!

 This is Mommy Francesca.  She is 55 years old and great.  I am her 5th host daughter! She is super precious and really nice.  She is one of the most devote Catholics I have ever met.  Every night at prayer time we say the rosary.  This past Sunday I went to Church with her.  However, there Catholic mass is a lot more lively than an American mass, it involved clapping and some hand swaying during the Hosanna.  Her brother is actually a priest! She has 8 brothers and sisters one which has past and she is the second oldest so she kind of raised her younger siblings.  I have a niece Gloria who is 4 years old who I just met this morning who lives with us! She is soo cute and I can't wait to get to know her more.

 This was my friend on my ceiling the first night!

This is my brother Tonny! He is 19 years old and is waiting to get scores back about finishing high school.  He will hopefully find out in February or March! He is really great!
I also have a brother named Dao who is 17 years old.  He is studying for a test right now to pass his 3rd year of high school.  He needs a math tutor to help him for the test and his mom was praying about getting money to find one, however, they found me a math major! I am definitely in the right home!

We walked around the university on Saturday and got some good pictures! The university has 7000 students, bigger than olivet!

 I love walking out of class and seeing monkeys in the trees!

These are my sisters, Getrude on the left, 24 and Topista on the right 20.  They are super sweet.  They were both orphans and Mommy Francesca took them both in.  They help out around the house and in return she helps them find a school to go off too.  Gertrude has been part of the family for about 2 years, I really like her a lot and we are becoming good friends.  Topista just moved in and it has been about 3 weeks for her.  She is shy, but I love her smile. 

 Yesterday after church we visited Mommy Francesca's friend who is a caterer.  I took a lot of pictures to show my dad because I figured he would find the kitchen very fascinating.  Her family runs off of this business and she cooks everything over a 3 stoned fire! They also raise chickens, cows, and pigs.  There son Bruno showed me around and it was very fascinating.  The mom gave me some fried chicken to try and it was DELICIOUS!!!

As I said today is the first day of class however I only have one class today! I can't wait to get started with the rest of my classes! I am very anxious and excited to also find out about my placement for my practicum hours. 

I can't believe this will be my life for the next 4 months

Those were my immediate thoughts on the way to campus on the 2 hour bus ride after getting off the plane at 4 in the morning!  The plane rides went well, our first ride took about 10 hours, luckily I was able to sleep for about 6 hours, and our second flight took about 8 hours.  I was awake for most of that one.  I was almost too anxious and too uncomfortable to be able to take a nap!  During that second flight, I had a flying buddy named Daniel.  He is from Israel and goes to school in Uganda, he is in the 8th grade!  He was the best flying buddy ever and I taught him how to play ticket to ride and heads up! It was so much fun, maybe I will run into him again!  As soon as we got back we got into temporary housing and took a few hour nap! It felt so great to sleep!  We woke up and got some lunch and then hiked up monkey hill, however saw no monkeys, maybe next time! My next post, Ill post some pictures!  Well I am really excited to see what is in store for me and really excited to meet my host family tomorrow that I will be living with for the next 4 months! CANT WAIT!

The one week countdown has begun!

Exactly one week from today, I will be placing my foot on the ground of the Entebbe International Airport where the temperature currently 70 degrees outside and the time is 1:00 am on Thursday.  I am so excited for a week from now but I'm anxious to see if this next week will go by slow or fast.  I will be spending most of my time hanging out with some friends, saying last minute goodbyes, buying last minute things, packing, and preparing for what's in store for me mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  This next week I am trying to be very intentional in my prayer life asking the Lord to prepare me for all that He has in store for me.  I'm so excited for what is in store for me and cannot wait to tell you all about it!!!